Automatic wire straightening and cutting-off machine



Aug. 26 1924.- 1,505,991

E. H. WISEMAN AUTOMATIC WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING-OFF MACHINE Filed April 11. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 26, 1924.

E. H. WISEMAN AUTOMATIC WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING-OFF MACHINE Filed pril 11. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1924.

E. H. WISEMAN AUTOMATIC WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING-OFF MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 8 E'QOJJI skxkwm ALAWMMM izgw.

Aug. 26, i924. 1,505,991

2:. H. WISEMAN AUTOMATIC WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTINGOFF MACHINE Filed April 11. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 machine of the aforesaid class,

Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,505,991 PATENT OFFICE EARL H. WISEMAN, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE F. B. SHUSTER COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, .A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING-OFF MACHINE.

Application filed April 11, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL H. WISEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the cOunty of Cuyahoga and State of bio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Wire Straightening and Cutting-Off Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in the class-of wire straightening and cutting-oil machines, and it has for its objects to provide a simple, compact, and comparatively inexpensive machine of this class, which is so constructed and organized as to be driven by a single belt, and which operates smoothly, quietly, and automatically.

Further objects are to provide a machine of the aforesaid class that is comparatively light, is easy of installation, requires no special foundation for its support, and is very economical in the consumption of power.

Still further objects are to provide in a IHBZLDS whereby the cutter may be adjusted to compensate for wear or reduction in its size by sharpening; wherein the cutting-off mecha nism is actuated by the wire that is being cut, the mechanism being under the control of a gauge rod equipped with a removable shoe wherewith the cut wire engages, said shoe permitting ordinary stock to be utilized as gauge rods and which permits of the ready application of the shoe to gauge rods of various lengths according to that needed in the cutting of the wire into pieces of predetermined length; wherein there is incorporated a grooved shaft into the groove of which the wire is fed, and a slotted tube in which the shaft is rotatably supported, the cutter being associated with the shaft in such manner that when the shaft is turned to bring its groove into register with the slot of the tube, the wire will be cut and the severed piece discharged through the slot of the tube; the provision of means for maintaining a gauge rod of material length against sagging and within the groove of the shaft so that it will not interlock with the slot of the tube and thus interfere with the rotation of the shaft.

The foregoing objects and others which will become apparent as this description proceeds, are attained in the embodiment Serial No. 460,419.

of the invention illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, and wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views on the respective lines 2--2, 3-3, and 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a fra mentary elevational View from the side of the machine opposite that shown in Fig. 1; F i 6 is a plan of what is shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the machine on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7, looking forwardly as indicated by the arrows associated with said line, the view showing particularly the cutting oif mechanism in cutting ofl position; Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the mechanism in normal position; Fig. 10 is a transverse section through the machine on the lines 10-10 of Figs. 1 and 7; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section through the forward end of the grooved shaft and slotted tube, and shows the gauge rod and associated parts in detail; Fig. 12 is a right-hand end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 11; F ig.- 13 is a section on the line 13-43 of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a transverse section through the machine on the lines ll14: of Figs. 1 and 7; and Fig. 15 is a horizontal section through the cutting-off mechanism as indicated by the line 15-15 of Fig. 9.

The size of my machine permits it to be supported upon any suitable bench or table, and the parts thereof are mounted upon a base 1. To one end of the base there is secured a housing 2 and within bearings 3, 4 and 5, whereof there is journaled a hollow shaft 6 that carries a straightening arbor 7 of any approved type, a pulley 8 about which a driving belt 9 is engaged, and a worm 10 which occupies a casing 11 that is shown as formed integral with the caps of bearings 4: and 5. The worm 10 (see Figs. 7 and 10) meshes with a worm wheel 15 that is fixed upon a shaft 16, journaled within a boss 17 that projects laterally from an ofiset portion 18 of the housing 2, the offset 18 constituting one-half of a casing which contains the worm wheel 15, the other half whereof is constituted of a member 20 secured to the side of the housing 2 by cap screws 21. This construction permits ready access to the worm and worm wheel by removing the member 20 and the caps of bearings 4 and 5 which carry the casin member 11. The shaft 16 has secure to its outer end a cam 25 (the purpose of which Ishall presently describe) and a pinion 26.

Mounted for vertical adjustment within an opening 28 of a box-like portion 29 of the housing 2, forwardly of and to one side of the bearing 5, are blocks 30 and 31. The block 31 (Fig. 14), which is the lower of the two, is supported upon screws 33 and 34, and at what may be regarded their inner ends, the blocks bear upon a transverse rod 35 which maintains the blocks separated" to a desired degree at this point. A screw 36, that is threaded through the upper end of the box-like casing 29, bears downwardly upon the upper block 30, in opposed relation to the former screw 33. In similar relation to the screw 34 and above the forward end of the block 30, a screw 38 having a knurled head, is threaded through the top wall of the casing 29. A comparatively heavy compression spring 40 seats within a recess 41 of the block 30 and is compressed between the bottom of said recess and the end of screw 38. The tension of this spring obviously may be varied by adjusting the screw 38. Journaled within bushings 42 and 43 of the respective blocks 30 and 31 are shafts 44 and 45, and upon the outer ends of these shafts are secured grooved rollers 46 and 47 which, by reason of their function, may be termed feed rollers, while intermeshing pinions 48 and 49 are fastened to the inner ends of said shafts so that a positive drive is effected of both rollers 46 and 47. Power is transmitted from the previously mentioned pinion 26, on shaft 16, to pinion 49, through an idler gear 50 that is journaled upon a stud 51 shown as projectin from the housing 2. As will be seen by re erence particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, the bore of shaft 6 is .in alignment with the space between the feed rollers 46 and 47. Fitted within an appropriately shaped opening in a vertical wall 55 of the housing 2, is a hardened steel bushing 56 having a bore which is in axial aligmnent with the bore of the shaft 6 so that as the wire, designated W, which is to he cut, is advanced by the feed rollers 46 and 47, it is fed through the bore of the bushing 56. A frame 58 (see particularly Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 15) is fastened, by securing means designated 59, to the wall 55 of the housing 2, and within a hollow boss 60 thereof is secured one end of a slotted tube 62 that projects a considerable distance forwardly of the housing and is supported at spaced intervals from and in parallel relation tothe base 1 through brackets 64. The slot of the tube 62 opens downwardly, as will. be seen from Figs. 2, 3, 4, 11 and 13. Supported for rocking movement within the tube 62 is a grooved shaft 66, the groove whereof is designated 67. This shaft extends from the extreme outer end of the tube to the hardened bushing 56 that is set within the wall 55, and between said wall and the adjacent end of the tube 62 the shaft has secured to it a mutilated gear member 68, the gear member being provided with a series of teeth 69. Adjacent the groove of the shaft 66, the gear member is cut away at 70, and inwardly of the cut-away portion it is provided with a guideway 71 within which a cutting tool 72 is mounted. The tool may be adjusted longitudinally of the guideway by screws 73 that are threaded through the adjacent-parts of the gear. The tool is provided with a notch 74 which registers with the groove of the shaft 66, and its inner face is flush with the end of the shaft: and with the corresponding face of the gear, and these parts, or more particularly, the tool 72, are maintained in shearing contact with the forward face of the bushing 56 by means of adjusting screws 75 that are threaded through the frame 58 on opposite sides of the boss 60 and bear against a split ring or washer 76 that is set within a recess 77 of the frame and engages the gear 68.

Guided for vertical movement within an offset of the frame 58 is a rack 80 (Figs. 8, 9 and 15) which meshes with the teeth 69 of the gear 68, and when this rack is ele vated by means which I shall presently describe, it imparts angular movement to the gear sufiieient to bring the groove of shaft 66 into register with the slot in the tube 62 (as indicated in Fig. 9), and this same action results in cutting 0H the length of wire WV that has been fed into the groove of the shaft, permitting it to drop through the slot of the tube and throughthe opening 70 of the gear and the cut-away portion 82 of the frame 58, to the receiver provided by the hooked lower ends of the brackets 64.

Pivoted, through a pin 85, to the lower end of the rack 80, is a trigger 86 that is normally retained in a rearward position by means of a light spring 87 which has one of its ends attached to the trigger and its opposite end anchored to an adjacent part of the housing 2. The rear end of a wire 88. incorporating a spring 89. is also attached to the free. end of the trigger 86, and the forward end of the wire 88 is secured, at 90, to a plate 91 that is fastened, as by a set screw 92, to the forward end of a slide pin 93 that is mounted for reciprocable move ment within a boss 94 that is shown as formed integral with the head of the forwardinost bracket 64. A guide rod 95, which occupies the forward end portion of the groove of shaft 66 is adapted to be adjustably connected, as by means of a set screw 96, to the plate 91, and at its rear end the gauge rod is equipped with a shoe 97 which has a sliding fit within the groove of the shaft and which is maintained within said groove by means of a block 98 that is inserted within the slot of the tube 62 and is confined therein by one of a series of split collars 100 that are adapted to be clamped at various points along the tube in the desired angular position with respect thereto by set screws 101. Any number of blocks 98 and collars 100 may be applied to the tube 62 forwardly of the shoe 97 as may be found necessary to prevent the gauge rod from sagging sufiiciently to interlock with the slot of the tube and thus prevent the rotation of the shaft 66. When the collars 100 occupy idle positions inwardly of the shoe 97, they are adjusted so that their openings register with the slot of the tube 62 so as not to interfere with the dropping of the pieces of wire.

The previously mentioned cam 25, which is secured to the shaft 16, engages a roller 105 that is carried by the rear end of a rocker arm 106, journaled upon a stud 107 i that projects from the side of the housing 2, and the forward end of the rocker arm has a pin 108 for engagement with a shoulder 109 of the trigger 86 when said trigger is swung forwardly into the path of the pin thereby to elevate the rack 80 against the tension of a spring 110 which has one of its ends attached to a lateral projection 111 of the rack and its opposite end anchored at 112 to the frame 58.

In preparing the machine for operation. the wire W is lead from a suitable source of supply, as a reel (not shown) through the hollow shaft 6 and the straightening arbor 7 between the feed rollers 46 and 47, through the bore of the bushing 56and into the groove 67 of the shaft 66. Power is then applied through the belt 9 to the pulley 8 and the machine is set in motion. The straightening arbor 7, being incorporated in the shaft 6, rotates at a comparatively high speed, while the shaft 16 is driven at a considerably lower speed through the reduction provided by the worm 10 and worm wheel 15. ower from the shaft 16 is transmitted through the pinion 26, idler gear 50,'pinions 48 and 49, and the respective shafts whereon they are mounted, to the feed rollers 46 and 47 thereby to advance the wire W within the groove 67 of the shaft 66 until the forward end of the wire engages and moves a comparatively short distance the shoe 97. The movement of the shoe is transmitted through the gauge rod 95 to the plate 91,

i advancing the plate which, it will be recalled, is supported by the slide pin 93 and by reason of the connection of the plate 91 through the wire 88 with the trigger 86, the trigger is swung forwardly against the tension of the comparatively light spring 87 so that the shoulder 109 thereof is swung over and into the path of the pin 108 of rocker arm 106. This will result in an immediate elevation'of the rack 80 because of the fact that the rocker arm 106 is being constantly vibrated through the action of the cam 25, the arm being moved in opposition to the cam by means of a spring 115. The elevation of the rack 80 results in an oscillation of the gear 68 and a corresponding movement of the shaft 66 and the tool or cutter 72, the parts being swung through the action of the rack to the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. This operation results in a piece of wire of given length (according to the adjustment of the gau e rod 95) being cutoff and dropped to t e receiver constituted-of the lower ends of the brackets 64. Immediately upon the dislodgement of the Wire from the groove of the shaft 66 the rear movement of the shoe 97 gauge rod 95 and plate 91 with its other associated parts, is initiated by thespring 87, the incipient movement imparted to such parts being suiiicientto swing the trigger 86 rearwardly with the shoulder 109 out of the path of the pin'108 and so that the pin may engage the front side of the trigger and positively return the aforesaid parts to normal position, the rack 80 in the meantime being retracted and the shaft 66 returned to normal position with its groove 67 in alignment with the bore of the bushing 56 so that the wire W may again be advanced into the groove of the shaft and the foregoing operation repeated. The tension of the feed rollers 46 and 4:7, which may be adjusted very accurately throu h the screw 38, is such as will permit t e feed rollers to slip upon the wire while its advancement is interrupted by the engagement of its forward end with the tool or cutter 7 2.

The cutter may be maintained at all times in proper shearing engagement with the bushing 56 through the adjustment provided by the screws '75.

When it is desired to cut pieces of wire difl'ering in length from those previously cut, the gauge rod 95 may be adjusted accordingly withinthe plate 91; and if the difference in length is such as would cause too great a projection of the forward end of the gauge rod beyond the front of the machine, the gauge rod may be entirely withdrawn and replaced by a shorter one to which the shoe 97 may be readily applied. This adjustment of the machine would also require a rearrangement ofthe collars 100, especially the one adjacent the shoe 97, as is very obvious.

Having thus described my invention, What 1 claim is 1. In a wire working machine, the combination of a grooved element, a fixed tubular member to rotatably support said elemovement from wire receiving to wire discharging position, a fixed tubular member rotatably supporting said element and serving to close the groove of the element throughout its length when the element is in wire receiving position, a member through;

which the wire is guided into the groove of the element. a cutter cooperating with said member and movable with the element thereby to cut a length of wire advanced into the groove of the element when the element is moved, mechanism for moving the element, a member supported within the groove of the element and arranged to be moved by the engagement of the wire therewitl1,-and operatlve connections between said member and the aforesaid mechanism whereby said mechanism is caused to operate when a predetermined length of wire has been advanced into the groove of the element.

3. In a wire working machine, the combination of continually operating driving mechanism, means operatively connected therewith for advancing the wire, a grooved element supported for movement from wirereceiving to wire-discharging position, a stationary tubular member rotatab'ly supporting said element and closing the groove of the element throughout its length when the latter is in wire receiving position, a member past which the wire is advanced into the groove of the element, a cutter cooperating with the member and movable with the element, mechanism for imparting movement to the element, means operable to establish driving connections between the driving mechanism and the element moving mechanism, a gauge member within the groove of the element adapted to be engaged and moved by the wire, and adjustable oper-' ative connections between the member and the last mentioned means.

4. In a wire working machine, the combination of continually operating driving mechanism, means operatively connected therewith for advancing the wire, a grooved shaft supported for angular movement from wire receiving to wire discharging position, a stationary tubular member rotatably supporting said shaft and closing the groove of the shaft throughout its length when the latter is in wire receiving position, a guide member through which the wire is advanced into the groove of the shaft, a cutter coopcrating therewith and movable with the shaft, mechanism for imparting an ular .movement to the shaft, means operab e to establish driving connections between the driving mechanism and the shaft moving mechanism, a gauge member within the groove of the shaft adapted to be engaged and moved by the wire, and operative connections between the gauge member and the last mentioned means.

5. In a wire working machine, the combination of continually operating driving mechanism; means operatively connected therewith for-advancing the wire, a rocking element vibrated by the driving mechanism, a grooved shaft supported for angular movement from wire receiving to wire discharging position, a fixed tubular support for rotatably supporting said shaft and for closing the groove of the shaft throughout its length when the latter is in wire receiving positicin, a member through which the wire is guided to the groove of the shaft, a cutter cooperating with said member and movable with the shaft, mechanism for angularly moving the shaft, said mechanism incorporating a part adapted to be moved into the path of the aforesaid rocking element, thereby to cause said rocking element to actuate said mechanism when the part is swung into the path of said element, means tending to maintain such part out of the path of the rocking element, a gauge member within the. groove of the shaft adapted .to be engaged and moved by the wire, and operative connections between the gauge member and the aforesaid part for moving said part into the path of the rocking element when a predetermined length of wire has been advanced in the groove of the shaft.

6. in a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft supported for angular movement by and within the tube from wire receiving position wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to a wire discharging position wherein the groove of the shaft registers with the slot of the tube, means for angularly moving the shaft, cooperating cutting parts, one of which is movable with the shaft, means for advancing the wire past said parts into the groove of the shaft when the shaft is in wire receiving position, and mechanism havin a part reposing within the groove of the s iaft and adapted to be engaged by the wire for controlling the actuation of the shaft moving means.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft supported for angular movement by and within the tube from wire receiving position, wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft, to a wire discharging position, wherein the groove of the shaft registers with the slot of the tube, means for angularly moving the shaft, cooperating cutting parts, one of which is movable with the shaft, and means for advancing the wire past said parts into the groove of the shaft when the shaft is in wire receiving position.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a grooved element supported for movement from wire receiving to wire discharging position, a fixed tubular support for rotatably supporting said element and for closing the groove of the element throughout its length Whenthe latter is in wire receivinv position, cooperating cutting parts, one of which is movable withthe element and relatively movable with respect to the other parts, means for advancing the wire into the groove of the element when the element is in Wire receiving position, and means for relatively adjusting the cutting parts, and means for moving the element.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a grooved shaft supported for angular movement from wire receiving to wire discharging posit-ion, a fixed tubular support for rotatably supporting said shaft and for closing the groove of the shaft throughout its length when the latter is in wire receiving position, cooperating cutting parts, one of which is movable with the shaft and relatively movable with respect to the other part, means for advancing the wire into the groove of the shaft when the shaft is in wire receiving position, means for adjusting one of the cutting parts toward the other, and means for angularly moving the shaft.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft rotatably supported by and within said tube for angular movement from wire receiving position wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to a wire discharging position wherein the groove of the shaft registers with the slot of the tube, a member through which the wire is directed into the groove of the shaft, a cutter in shearing relation to said member and carried by the shaft, means for adjusting said cutter toward said member, means for advancing the wire into the groove of the shaft, and means for angularly moving the shaft. I

11. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft rotatably supported by and within said tube and for angular movement from wire receiving position wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to a wire discharging position wherein the groove of the shaft registers with the slot of the tube, a member through which the wire is directed into the groove of the shaft, a cutter in shearing relation to said mem-= her and carried by the shaft, means for adjusting said cutter toward said member, continually operating means frictionally engaging the wire for advancing it into the groove of the shaft. and means for angularly mov ing the shaft.

12. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft mounted therein for angular movement from Wire receiving position wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to wire discharging position wherein the groove ofthe shaft registers with the slot of the tube, a guide member through which the wire is advanced to the groove of the shaft, a gear member adjacent the last mentioned member, said gear member being fixed with respect to the shaft, the gear member having a part cut away in register with the groove of the shaft, acutter sustained by the gear member in shearing relation to the guide member, a rack cooperating with the gear member thereby to rotate the gear member when the rack is reciprocated, driving mechanism, feeding mechanism frictionally engaging the wire, operative connections between the feeding mechanism and the driving mechanism, a rocking element operatively connected with and continually vibrated by the driving mechanism, a part having connection with the rack and 1novable into the path of the rocking element, a gauge member reposing within the groove of the shaft and adapted to be engaged and moved by the wire, and connections between. said gauge member and the aforesaid part for swinging the latter into the path of the rocking element when the gauge member is moved by the wire.

13. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft rotatably supported by and within said tube for angular movement from wire receiving position wherein a part of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to wire dis-- charging position wherein the groove of the shaft registers with the slot of the tube. means for angularly moving the shaft, cutting parts between which the wire is fed to the groove of the shaft, one of said parts being movable with the shaft and relatively with respect to the other cutting part, means for advancing the wire past the said cut ting part into the groove of the shaft, a gauge rod within the groove of the shaft, a removable shoe applied to the gauge rod and arranged to be engaged and moved by the wire, and operative connections between the gauge rod and the aforesaid shaft moving means.

14. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a slotted tube, a grooved shaft supported therein for angular movement from wire receiving position wherein a art of the tube closes the groove of the shaft to wire discharging position 'wherein thegroove of the shaft registers a the shaft, one of said parts being movable with the shaft and relatively with respect to the other cutting part, means for advancing the wire past. the said cutting part, into the groove of the shaft, a gauge rod within the groove of the shaft arranged to he engaged and moved by the wire, operativc connections between the gauge rod and the aforesaid shaft moving means, one or more split collars mounted upon the tube and adjustable angularly thereof, and a filler block for each collar adapted to be inserted within the groove of the shaft and maintained therein by the collar, the filler blOk'k serving to retain the gauge rod in the groove of the shaft.

15. Feeding mechanism comprising, in

' combination, "a supporting structure having opposed parts, a pair of blocks situated between said opposed parts, a member inserted between the corresponding ends of said blocks and whereon the blocks are capable of rocking toward and from each other,

1 means supported by the opposed parts of the supporting structure for maintaining the blocks in engagement. with said member, yielding tension means urging the ends of the blocks opposite said member toward each other, a device for adjustin the tension of said means, shafts supporte respectively by said blocks, interengaging pinions secured to said shafts, and feed rollers carried by said shafts in operative relation to each other.

16. In a machine of the character set forth, wire feeding mechanism comprising a box-like casing having an opening, a pair of blocks situated within said opening and between the end walls of the casing member, screws threaded through the end walls of the casing member and engaging the blocks adjacent one end, a member disposed between andtransversely of the blocks adjacent said end and whereon the blocks are capable of a slight rockin movement, adjusting screws threaded t rough the end walls of the casing member adjacent the opposite ends of the blocks, a compression spring interposed between one of the adj usting screws and-the corresponding block, a shaft j ournaled in each block and protruding beyond the ends thereof, inter-engaging p'inions secured to the corresponding ends of the two shafts, and rollers fixedto the opposite ends of theshafts and supported theieby in operative relation to each other.

n a wire working-machine a guide member through which the wire is advanced, a slotted shaft to receive said wire, a gear member adjacent the uide member, said gear member being fixed with respect to the shaft into which the wire is projected and having a part cutaway, a cutter suspended b the gear member in shearing relation to tli e guide member, a rack cooperating with the gear member thereby to rotate said gear member when the rack is reciprocated, driving mechanism, feeding mechanism frictionally engaging the wire, operative connections between the feeding mechanism and the driving mechanism, a rocking element operatively connected with and continually vibrated by the driving mechanism, a part having a connection with the rack and movable in the path of the rocking element, a gage member adapted to be engaged and moved by the wire, and connections between said gage member and the aforesaid part for swinging the latter into the path of the rocking element when the gage member is moved by the wire. 1

18. In a wire working machine, a support for a wire to be cut, cutting parts between which the wire is fed to said support, one of said parts being movable relatively with respect to the other part, means for advancing the wire past the said cutting parts into said support, a g e rod within said support to be engaged and moved by the wire, operative connections between the gage rod and the aforesaid support, one or more split EARL H. WISEMAN, 

